A binder
assembly system, without a
metal spine but only paper or paper-like material at its channel spine (15), for binding together a series of sheet materials (20), using an "hard cover" book-like, single-piece binding cover (10), made up of a number of main, structural parts, including two, side boards (11A & 11B), a sheet (12) of book covering material, and a centrally located, special paper spine element (13), with an internal, paper cover (14) which over-lies the combined width of the side boards and the paper spine element, all of which when combined together form the book-like binder cover using pre-heating and forming step(s). The various cover parts are pre-assembled together in their respective positions. The channel area of the cover is first pre-heated to facilitate forming in the range from about one hundred and fifty to four hundred (~150-400) degrees Fahrenheit and dwell times from about two to about thirty (~2-30) seconds. The channel area is forced into the desired, "U" shape under heat and pressure, using either a
mating, male-and-female die or lateral directed forming bars or plates, using heat levels as before, pressure levels from about twenty-five to about two hundred and fifty (~25-250)
pounds per square inch, and dwell times from about two to about fifteen (~2-15) seconds have been used successfully. The "U" shaped profile of the channel spine bends when subject to typical side loads but does not break or
crimp but generally returns to its original configuration when the load is released.